Long-stay 30+ days in Japan — the ¥150,000-300,000/month reality
⚡ 30-Second Answer : 30-day long-stay Japan = ¥300-700K budget . Monthly mansion ¥80-200K, self-cook ¥30-50K, Suica/PASMO commuter pass ¥10-20K, sightseeing+entertainment ¥50-100K . Airbnb monthly discount -20-30% , standard kit = Wise debit + credit card + ¥30K cash .
Quick Reference
Value
30-day budget
¥300-700K
Monthly stay
¥80-200K
Self-cook
¥30-50K
Airbnb monthly
-20-30% off
Cash
¥30K
Last verified
June 2026
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Yen Finder Editorial
Tokyo-based · operated by nando LLC• Last verified: May 24, 2026
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Spoke article for stays of one month or longer. The tourist visa runs up to 90 days , but running the whole period in "short-trip mode" detonates your budget. ¥80,000/week in hotels becomes ¥320,000/month . Swap to monthly rentals or weekly Airbnb + coin laundry + supermarket cooking , and the same month lands at ¥150,000-300,000 . The three levers: lodging where the per-night rate drops with weekly pricing, shifting food from konbini to the supermarket, and a monthly SIM plan.
TL;DR — long-stay (30+ days)
One-month total : budget ¥150,000-200,000 / standard ¥250,000-350,000 / comfort ¥400,000-600,000Lodging : monthly rental / Airbnb week rate = ¥3,500-7,000 per nightFood : supermarket cooking + occasional eat-out = ¥30,000-60,000/monthTransit : monthly Suica top-up ¥6,000-12,000 (intra-city only)SIM : monthly plan ¥3,000-5,000 (physical SIM beats eSIM at this duration)Coworking : drop-in ¥1,500-3,000/day, monthly ¥15,000-30,000Recommended cards : Wise / Revolut
1. Monthly budget breakdown
Budget mode (¥150,000-200,000/month)
Category
Monthly
Notes
Lodging
¥80,000-110,000
Monthly studio (1R)
Food
¥30,000-45,000
Mostly cooking, eat out once a day
Transit
¥6,000-12,000
City subway + walking
SIM
¥3,000-5,000
Monthly plan
Misc
¥15,000-25,000
Laundry / sights / coffee
Total ¥134,000-197,000
Standard mode (¥250,000-350,000/month)
Lodging: ¥120,000-180,000 (Airbnb private room or 1LDK)
Food: ¥60,000-90,000 (half cook, half eat out)
Transit: ¥10,000-20,000 (occasional inter-city)
Coworking: ¥20,000-30,000
Sightseeing & entertainment: ¥30,000-50,000
2. Long-stay lodging economics
1 week of hotel vs 4 weeks of hotel
APA / Toyoko Inn at ¥8,000-12,000/night × 30 = ¥240,000-360,000 😱Same hotel with a "monthly plan" available : drops to ¥150,000-220,000 (20-40% off)
Monthly mansion (1R apartment)
Central Tokyo 1R : ¥80,000-150,000/month (utilities + Wi-Fi included)Osaka / Fukuoka / Sapporo : ¥55,000-100,000/monthAble / Leopalace21 / Monthly Tokyo are the big namesPros : Kitchen for cooking, real address for Amazon Japan deliveriesCons : Setup fee ¥20,000-50,000, ID needed to sign
Airbnb week and month discounts
3 nights or fewer : standard rate (expensive)7+ nights : weekly discount 10-30% off28+ nights : monthly discount 20-50% offFor long stays, filter to hosts that offer a monthly discount
Hostel long-stay discount
K's House / Khaosan / Nui. and others have long-stay rates at ~¥1,500/night at certain branchesDorm at roughly ¥45,000-60,000/month — the ultimate budget option
→ #162 Solo traveler / backpacker guide
3. Food — shifting from konbini to supermarket
Per-meal cost comparison
Style
Per meal
Monthly (3/day)
Hotel breakfast buffet ¥3,000-5,000
¥270,000-450,000
Family restaurant / chain ¥800-1,500
¥72,000-135,000
Konbini bento ¥500-800
¥45,000-72,000
Supermarket prepared meal ¥300-600
¥27,000-54,000
Cooking (groceries) ¥200-400
¥18,000-36,000
Recommended supermarket chains for cooking
Gyomu Super (Business Super) : Bulk bags cheap, lots of international ingredientsOK Store : Cheapest in Tokyo, strong PB lineupLife / Summit / Maruetsu : Mid-tier, great prepared-food sectionsDepachika (department-store basement) : Hit the 50%-off labels 1-2 hours before close
The "winning" long-stay daily pattern
Breakfast : Coffee from machine ¥150 + bread ¥150Lunch : Supermarket bento ¥500Dinner : Cook (rice ¥100 + veg ¥200 + meat/fish ¥400) = ¥700Day : ¥1,500. Month: ¥45,000.
→ #160 Konbini money pillar
4. Connectivity — monthly SIM beats eSIM
Monthly SIM options
Provider
Monthly
Data
Notes
Sakura Mobile ¥3,500-5,000
5-20 GB
English support, airport pickup
Mobal ¥3,000-4,500
7-10 GB
Student favorite
IIJmio / Y!mobile ¥1,200-2,500
3-10 GB
Domestic plans, bureaucratic
eSIM (Airalo) ¥4,500-7,000
10-20 GB
Pricier at long durations
Physical SIM vs eSIM rule of thumb
30 days or less : eSIM (Airalo etc.) is plenty30+ days : Monthly physical SIM wins on price 90+ days : My Number-linked plans become available, but the bar is high
→ #111 SIM / eSIM / pocket Wi-Fi comparison
5. Coworking, gym, laundry
Coworking spaces
Brand
Drop-in
Monthly
Locations
WeWork ¥3,500
¥40,000-65,000
Premium central
Regus / Spaces ¥2,000-3,000
¥30,000-45,000
Near stations
fabbit / Basis Point ¥1,500-2,500
¥20,000-30,000
Mid-tier
Komeda Coffee / Starbucks ¥500-800/visit
-
Stay all day
Gym
Anytime Fitness : ¥7,000-9,000/month, 24-hour accessKonami Sports / Tipness : ¥10,000-15,000/monthPublic gymnasium : ¥300-500 drop-in
Coin laundry vs in-room washing
Coin laundry : wash ¥400 + dry ¥300 = ¥700/load, ~¥3,500-7,000/monthMonthly mansion with washer included : free, or ¥100-200/loadLong stay = lodging with washer is the win
6. Monthly transit
Should you buy a Suica/Pasmo commuter pass?
Tourists usually can't (requires proof of school/work commute)Use regular pay-as-you-go Suica top-ups instead
¥6,000-12,000/month is typical (5-8 rides/day)
City day or monthly passes
Tokyo Metro 24h ¥600 × 30 = ¥18,000 → pay-as-you-go at ~¥10,000 is cheaperOsaka / Kyoto monthly subway pass : ¥8,000-12,000 with commute proofTourists: stick to IC card top-ups
7. Hidden long-stay costs
Monthly recurring charges
Konbini ATM fees : Free with Wise / Revolut, but mind monthly limitsHealth insurance / medical : Tourist visa = no Japanese insurance, travel insurance mandatory (¥3,000-8,000/month)Credit-card annual fees : Yen abroad means some FX lossTourist visa renewal : 90+ days means a re-entry trip (Seoul/Taipei day-trip works)
Travel insurance
Credit-card included : Activates when you book flight on the card, usually 90 days maxWorld Nomads / SafetyWing : ¥6,000-10,000/month"No insurance dentist visit" = ¥30,000-100,000 out-of-pocket
FAQ Q: Can I stay the whole 90 days on a tourist visa?
A: Sightseeing only — yes. Work is prohibited (remote work is a gray zone; broadly OK if the income isn't from a Japanese entity).
Q: What are the setup costs for a monthly mansion?
A: Deposit ¥20,000-50,000 + 1 month upfront . Cleaning fee ¥10,000-20,000 at move-out.
Q: Can I do a month for ¥100,000?
A: Doable in Osaka/Fukuoka (long-stay hostel + cooking). Tokyo bottoms out around ¥150,000.
Q: Can I open a bank account?
A: Not on a tourist visa, as a rule. Use Wise's JPY virtual account as a substitute — it handles local transfers fine.
Q: What if I need a doctor without insurance?
A: First visit ¥10,000-20,000. Hospital admission ¥50,000-100,000/day. Get insurance.
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Last updated: 2026-05-24